Her Name
by Fallen Seraphina
Summary: Human now, the Outsider can't help but reminisce about the past. He thinks back on a woman he had marked centuries ago, long dead but never forgotten.


"What are you doing _now_?" His voice echoed, shifting behind the young woman to peer down at the sketch book in her hands.

She quickly clamped the book to her chest, turning and giving him a small smirk. Her grey eyes narrowed, "That's rude, you know. Looking at someone else's things." She teased. "It's just a quick sketch."

He hummed, standing straight again. He dispersed, reappearing in front of her. "But of what?" He prompted.

She smiled, features softening as she lowered her sketch book. She shrugged, "This place is never the same when I come here. I wanted to draw it, so I can remember." She replied.

He stared at her for a moment, a smile threatening to spread across his face. He kept himself neutral, though. He shifted away, taking slow strides to her side. "Sentimental." He tsked, head tilting.

She snorted, rolling her eyes as she brought her pen back down to the paper. She began scratching away, eyes darting from her paper to the scenery around them. After a long silence, she began to hum a light tune. He'd heard her sing it before- it held some kind of familiarity to him, but he could not place it beyond the woman humming it.

Slowly, quietly, he came to stand beside her, peering down at the paper- a grand, spiraling staircase sat atop an island, seemingly frozen in time as she scratched the rough lines of the Void. She glanced at him as he lowered himself to a sitting position beside her, but said nothing. She didn't move her sketch book away. She smiled and turned her attention back to the land before her, a small smile on her lips.

Neither spoke for a long time. They sat in complete silence as she drew page after page, occasionally standing to find a new landscape to capture with her pen. He watched curiously, all the while she hummed.

They now stood atop the staircase she was drawing only moments ago, head lifted to catch a glimpse of the drifting islands of moments frozen in time. Here, she decided to speak. Her humming ceased, head lowering to stare at her book.

After a short moment, she tilted her head and grinned at the black-eyed man with amusement in her eyes. "... Do you think I could sketch a whale?"

He fought back the urge to smile, nearly snorting at her question.

This woman was truly incredulous.

* * *

"Can I draw you?"

The question came weeks later, uttered as soon as she'd awoken abruptly in the Void. She was smiling, pen and book clutched in one hand. Her dark, green eyes stared at him expectantly, waiting patiently for a reply.

He knew the question would be asked eventually. He'd seen it swarming her mind, always bubbling to the top as she sketched new landscapes and sceneries inside and outside the Void. He'd hoped it was a simple, fleeting thought at first- he'd never thought anyone would want to etch him away permanently into a book.

He hummed, running his hands together. He tilted his head in thought, "I don't see why not." He said finally, black eyes sliding down to her book.

Her eyes immediately brightened, grin widening. "Great! Stay where you are!" She said, quickly flicking to a clean page in her sketch book. She flicked her pen, settling down on the ground.

He stared down at her, trying to feign neutrality. As she looks back at him, though, he can tell it's not working. She raises a brow, smile faltering slightly. "What? I didn't say act like statue- it's no fun to draw someone so stiff."

He blinked, black eyes staring at her in thought. He slowly angled himself, still fiddling with his hands. He relaxed, staring at her in slight annoyance, "Better?" He asked, a tinge of snark to his tone.

She smirked, rolling her eyes. "Yes, it is." She studied him for a moment, hand moving slowly across the paper as she scratched the most basic outline. She'd make quick glances down at her paper, but her eyes were fixed on him for the most part.

They both were silent; she hadn't even begun to hum. The God found it easy to stay completely still, letting her etch in every detail she could. Her dark green eyes fixed on him, the black-eyed man couldn't help but find it unnerving. It felt almost like she was staring straight into him, like she could see everything he was. He found himself staring back, eyes fixed on the calculated strokes of her pen.

As unnerving as it was, though, it brought a strange warmness to his fingertips. It was new for him. She had a small smile, eyes darting from her paper then back to staring intently at every feature she could find. She drew carefully, but also roughly. She was calculated in her strokes, yet sporadic at the same time. It was strange and fascinating to be on the other side of one of her drawings.

It reminded him so much of why he Marked her in the first place.

* * *

"And what happened to her?" A gruff, low voice asked. The Outsider hummed, lifting one of his hands and entangling it with the other man's. He had his head resting on his chest, listening intently to the steady heartbeat.

"Another one of my Marked." He said, a hint of bitterness in his tone. "He grew jealous of my favouritism and concluded the only way to earn it was to kill her." He shuddered a breath, "In the end, he grew angrier at my continued silence. He began protesting, preaching of my wickedness."

Corvo let out a soft hum, prompting him to continue. He took a moment, collecting the thoughts and memories from so long ago. "A young boy heard his preaching and latched onto the ideas of my evil doings." He heard the man snort at that and he himself smiled, although bitterly. "... The boy who heard his preachings eventually became the first High Overseer."

He felt muscles tense under him, followed by a hand reassuringly brushing against his hip. He reveled in the touch for a moment, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. The Outsider sat up slightly, hands on either side of the other."It's nothing to reminisce about, Corvo. I've had centuries to think on her."

The man hummed, propping himself up on his elbows. "Did you love her?" He asked, dark eyes staring up into icy green ones.

His brows furrowed, staring down at him with mild confusion. He mulled the question over, head tilting slightly as he let out a slow breath. "... Yes." He said finally, "I think to some degree I did love her." He brought his face closer now, just inches from Corvo's lips. "Does it irk you? That I was overtly fond with another of my Marked?" He inquired, half joking.

Corvo scoffed, planting a soft kiss to the former God's lips. He offered him as small smile as he pulled away, dark eyes looking at him, unwavering. "No." He replied simply.

He huffed out a short laugh at the man's typical one-word answer. He rested his forehead on his chest, wrapping his own arms around the larger man's waist. He took a deep breath, slipping his eyes closed. "Before her, I hadn't thought of ever being close with one of my Marked. And after her, I feared ever choosing a favourite again." He whispered as an afterthought.

"What was her name?" Corvo replied. He pulled the small man flush against him, rolling them onto their sides.

The Outsider breathed a small laugh, tightening his grip around the larger man. He settled his body against Corvo's, pressing into his chest and taking a deep breath. "Angelina." He said, voice barely even a whisper. "Her name was Angelina Ludgate."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hello, Fallen here. So after not playing this beautiful, wonderful game in 3 years, I recently played Death of the Outsider and fell in love with it all over again._

 _This is technically 1 of 2 small one-shots I wrote for characters from the past- i.e., people the Outsider formerly Marked that are long dead now. This one specifically takes place centuries before the games. As stated, this is even before the Abbey was formed._

 _Angelina Ludgate was a brilliant mind with enough imagination to fuel the world. She was Marked at the age of 16, and killed at 20. She died before her life could truly start, and the Outsider mourned her for quite some time._

 _Also, fun fact: I tend to gravitate towards the Outsider's name being Michael. This is completely fueled by the song "White Winter Hymnal" by Fleet Foxes._


End file.
